Local businesses wary of new health care requirements

Over the years, Al Mahler, owner of Big Al's Seafood, 1377 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma, has steadily recruited new employees to help with the daily upkeep and functioning of his restaurant.

Sable LeFrereStaff Writer

Over the years, Al Mahler, owner of Big Al's Seafood, 1377 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma, has steadily recruited new employees to help with the daily upkeep and functioning of his restaurant. Before this year is out, Mahler is wondering in what category of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act he is going to be classified in.“In the restaurant business, I have over 50 employees but not 50 full-time employees,” Mahler said. “Especially around crawfish season, I may use more people, mainly waitresses, and if I am correct, I don't think it will affect me. But I will have to further look into it.”Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, mandating that every working American be able to obtain affordable health insurance through his or her employer by 2014 if the business has 50 or more employees working 30 or more hours. Violators could potentially pay a penalty of up to $3,000 per worker.Renee Amar, Louisiana state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said she has already seen some small businesses reacting because they know offering health insurance is one of the biggest expenses they will have to deal with.“They have some business owners that don't make a lot of money,” she said. “We've had specifically some restaurant owners taking a look at cutting back employee hours and have had some consider not hiring any new employees to dodge the 50-mark threshold. Many restaurants are having to weigh their options right now. It's really not a great recipe for growth.”In considering their options, some restaurant operators in Houma and Thibodaux said they will not have to worry about the law.Amanda Acosta, manager of Boudreau & Thibodeau's Cajun Cookin', 5602 Main St., Houma, said her place won't be affected.“We probably are more staffed than we have ever been. We have about 30 employees now, and we are still hiring people,” she said. “I don't think we will ever need 50 people. We are too small for that.”Same goes for the Foundry on the Bayou restaurant and bar, 715 W. First St., Thibodaux.Kitchen manager David Matherne said most of their employees are college students who work part-time.“I am glad we aren't going to get hurt. We have around 25 employees, and the majority of them are part-time, working 15 to 20 hours a week,” he said.Matherne said he is still curious about how the health care policy will play out and plans to have discussions about it with the owner of the Foundry to make sure the business is in compliance for the coming year.

Staff Writer Sable LeFrere can be reached at 985-857-2204 or at sable.lefrere@houmatoday.com.